“The women involved feel let down,” Clegg will say at a
rally tonight in Brighton, southern England, according to his
office. “When concerns were brought to the attention of members
of my team we acted to address them. But this should not have
just been the responsibility of a few individuals acting with
the best of intentions.”

Chris Rennard stepped down as the party’s CEO in 2009 on
health grounds and has denied wrongdoing. Following recent U.K.
media reports that women had complained to Clegg’s office, the
Liberal Democrat leader has said there were other reasons
Rennard left as well. He has set up two probes, one into the
Rennard allegations, and one into how they were handled, to be
led by Newton Investment Management Ltd. CEO Helena Morrissey.

Clegg, opening a weekend convention for his party, will
devote his speech, on International Women’s Day, to how the
party is treating both its women members and how it can appeal
to female voters.